Wedge-type mining machine with steering means



Nov. 30, 1954 J. c. sPRoUL 2,695,774

WEDGE-TYPE MINING MACHINE WITH STEERING MEANS i :Mm Canna PRoul ab Attorney S Nov. 30, 1954 J. c. sPRoUL. 2,695,774

WEDGE-TYPE MINING MACHINE WITH STEERING MEANS med oct. 1a, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 2 l Inventor 52M Connu Sproul United States Patent() M' WEDGE-TYYE MINING MACHINE WITH STEERING MEANS John C. Sproul, Glasgow, Scotland, assiguor toMavor & Coulson, Limited, Glasgow, Scotland Application October 18, 1950, Serial No. 190,777

7 Claims. (Cl. 2628) This invention relates to mining machines belonging to a previously proposed type having a cutter head adapted, when the machine is usedl in a coal mine, to Wedge ol'l coal from a coal seam in the advance of the machine by splitting the coal chisel-wise along a plane behind and approximately parallel to theface of the seam. Where, as is usually desirable, the `machine is double-endedthat is to say, is designed to work in each of its two directions of travel-there are two such cutter heads.

The cutter head may incorporate two` or more superposed chisel-like cutters arranged to strip from the face at different levels, these cutters having edges which are co-planar, or approximately so.

More especially, the invention is applicableV to mining machines of the type stated having means for propelling themselves along the face of a coal or other mineral seam, the propelling means comprising a pressure-fluid cylinderand-ram propulsion unit co-operating with a pressurefluid jack anchorage unit and the arrangement being such that a main component incorporating the head or heads moves longitudinally relative to the anchorage unit during propulsion and can turn laterally about the anchorage unit as axis.

ln use of a mining machine of the type stated, it is desirable that the machine should work in a directionmore or less parallel to the face of the coal or other mineral seam. Nevertheless, the varying conditions of any seam tend to cause variations in the depth at which the machine cuts into the face.

The object of the present inventionis to make provisionwhereby the mining machine can be steered' so that the cutter head can be maintained at an appropriate depth of cut.

Accordingly, the invention comprises a mining machine of the type stated having a. movable steering presser near the leading end of the machine and another movable steering presser near the trailingv end of the machine, each of said pressers being adapted to come against the face newly cut in the mineral seam by the cuter head and to thrust or withdraw in order to cause lateral turning of the machine, and steering means under the control of an operator for controlling the movements of the pressers. i

In general, the invention will be applied to doubleended machines, and when it is so applied the pressers are preferably arranged in the cutter heads at opposite ends of the machine, each presser being located in proximity to the associated cutter or cutters.

The steering pressers may be individually under the control of pressure-fluid cylinder-and-plunger units.` t

Each presser may be movable at'an inclination or at right angles to the length of the machine and desirably presents to the face of the seam a pressure surface which is substantially parallel to the length of the machine. In this event, each of the two pressers may be slidably mounted on a cutter head or other part of the machine, and each of them may incorporate a pressure-liuid cylinder containing a plunger anchored to the cutter head or other part.

Alternatively, each presser may be angularly movable about a pivotal mounting on a cutter head or other part of the machine and may present an inclined pressure surface to the new face of the seam. In this event, each presser may be linked to a cylinder-and-plunger unit on the associated cutter head or other part.

Examples illustrative of the invention will now be 2,695,774 Patented Nov. 30, 195.4

2 described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, inwhich: I

Fig. l is an` elevation of a` coalA mining machine in which one example of the invention is incorporated, and Fig. 2 is a corresponding sectional plan. The sectioning is on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig; 3 shows aiportion-ot Fig. 2 to alarger scale.

Fig. 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 3 of other examples. i t

Referring to Figs. l and 2, `these viewsshow` the invention applied to a double-ended coal-mining machine of the type stated having at each end a leading cutter 6-at an intermediate level and co-planar cutters 7, 8 and 9 above and below it. The machine comprises two relative-l ly movable main components, one of which may becall'ed the frame and the other `of which may be called the carriage. The frame comprises mainly the two cutter heads 10 and 11 and guide bars 12 and 13 which interconnect them. The carriage comprises mainly a propulsion cylinderandram unit 14, 15 and a central jack unit`16, 17 serving as an intermittent anchorage, both of which units are hydraulic. The cylinder 16 of the jack unit is slidable vertically and is turnable about its vertical axis in the carriage structure, in which the propulsion cylinder is incorporated and which is guided by said bars 12, 13.

The arrangement is such that when the jack 16, 17 is extended to anchor the carriage between the mine roof A andoor B, the propulsion unit is operated to advance the frame in one or the other direction to effect the cutting operation on the seam, whereas when the jack is released the propulsion unit is operated to advance the carriage, the frame meantime remaining stationarily idle.

The carriage is equipped with a self-contained hydraulic system comprising a motor-driven pump, an oil reservoir and appropriate conduits, but this apparatus is not shown in the drawing, being well known per se. The propulsion unit 14, 15` and the jack unit 16, 17 are both operated by this hydraulic system.

In the example, each of the two pressers 18 and 19 is mounted on the wedge head 10 or 11, being operable there by a hydraulic cylinder-and-plunger motor unit 20, 21. The hydraulic unit of each of the pressers 181, 19 isconnected through pipes 22 and 23 and a controller 24 or 25 to the hydraulic system; the connections include a flexible pipe 26 to a branch 27 on the high-pressure side of the hydraulic system.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each presser 18 or 19 comprisesy a hollow body slidably mounted in the head 10 or 11 arranged at a rearwardly outward inclination to the length of the machine and this body presents an end surface 28 which is rounded but in general lies substantially parallel to the length of the machine. The motor unit which operates each presser 18 or 19 comprises a hy draulic cylinder 20` formed in the hollow body and a plunger 21 anchored at 29 to the head 10 or 11.

The controller 24 or 25 takes theform of a distributor valve which can be manipulated to connect the associated pipes 22 and 23 to pressure and exhaust, respectively, so that the appropriate presser 18 or 19 will be: thrust out; or manipulated to close both pipes 22, 23 andthus lock the presser against movement; or manipulated to open both p'pes 22, 23 to exhaust so that the presser is inactive and can freely withdraw.

Figs. l and 2 illustrate the machine being propelled from left to right. The original coal face is represented by C, in' Fig. 2, and the new coal face is represented by D. Normally, with the machine working in the correct line of travel, the valves 24, 25 are both set to lock both pressers 18 and 19, so that they act as guides against the face D without thrusting against it and without withdrawing from it. If the operator desires to steer the machine deeper into the new face D (that is, further from the original face C) he manipulates the valves 24, 25 so that during the next cutting stroke the leading presser 18 is thrust an appropriate amount and the trailing presser 19 is permitted to withdraw an equal amount. Seeing that the frame is then being advanced by the propulsion unit 14, 15 and the carriage is anchored by the jack unit 16, 17, the machine will turn laterally, or swivel, about the jack as axis. It Will therefore be manifest that the distributor valves and the associated hydraulic motor units constitute the steering means. It will also be manifest that either of the two distributor valves can be manipulated independently of the other, so that either of the two pressers can be thrust out while the other ispermitted to withdraw or is locked.

If desired, a single controller might be provided for both pressers, the arrangement to be such that when the pressers come into operation to change the direction of the machine, the one presser is active, being forced to exert a thrusting action against the face of the seam, whereas the other presser is rendered inactive.

In the construction according to Figs. l to 3, the machine has an auxiliary device to facilitate the work of steering. The leading cutter 6 on each head 10 or 11 is angularly adjustable about a pivot 30 under the control of the associated distributor valve 24 or 25. As shown, hydraulic pipes 31, 32 lead from each of these valves to opposite ends of a small hydraulic unit, namely a transverse hydraulic cylinder 33 containing a plunger 34. A notch 35 in this plunger is engaged by an arm 36 extending from the cutter 6. Thus, by appropriate manipulation of either distributor valve, the leading cutter can be adjusted to or from theA new coal face D. l

' Referring now to Fig. 4, in the example therein shown apresser 18A is a slidably mounted body with a curved pressure surface and movable at right angles to the length of the machine. In other respects, the construction is substantially similar to Fig. 3 and therefore the same reference numbers are again used to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to Fig. 5, in the example therein shown a presser 18B is an arm `that is angularly movable about a pivot 37 on a cutter head 10 (or 11) and it presents a curved pressure surface 38 which in general lies at an inclination to the length of the machine. In this example also the position of the presser is controlled from the associated distributor valve 24 or 25 through pipes Z2, 23 and a hydraulic cylinder-and-plunger unit 2t), 21. In this example, the plunger rod 39 is pivotally connected at opposite ends to the plunger and presser respectively.

In the foregoing general description of the mining machine according to Figs. l and 2 only brief particulars are given. The machine is described in fuller detail in our patent specification numbered 144,745, now Patent No. 2,626,139.

I claim:v

l.v A mining machine for working along a mineral seam in a mine to cut a new face, said machine comprising a main component having a leading end and a trailing end, anchorage means located between said ends for anchoring between the floor and roof of the mine, said main component being movable lengthwise relative to said anchorage means and laterally turnable about said anchorage means as axis, face cutters at the leading end of said main component, propelling means interconnecting said anchorage means and said main component, laterally movable front and rear steering pressers on said main component, said pressers being located between the anchorage means and the leading and trailing ends, respectively, and both of said pressers being at the same side of the machine, namely the side adjacent the new face, and steering means under the control of an operator for thrusting said pressers against and withdrawing them from said new face, selectively, in order to steer the machine.

2. A mining machine according to claim l in which each of the steering pressers is an arm that is pivotally mounted on said main component, said arm having a curved pressure surface, and in which said arm is linked 4 I s to a cylinder-and-plunger motor unit on the main component for thrusting out and withdrawing the arm.

3. A mining machine according to claim 1 in which said face cutters include one that is laterally adjustable and adjacent to the front steering presser, the machine also including an auxiliary device to facilitate the work of steering, said device comprising a motor unit on said main component connected to said laterally adjustable cutter and under the control of the operator for adjusting said cutter in relation to said presser.

4. A mining machine for working in both directions along a mineral seam in a mine to cut a new face, said machine comprising a frame having at opposite ends oppositely directed cutter heads to serve as a leading cutter head and a trailing cutter head respectively according to the direction of working of the machine, and longitudinal guides between said heads, a hydraulic anchorage jack unit carried by said guides for anchoring between the lloor and roof of the mine, said frame being movable lengthwise relative to said anchorage unit and laterally turnable about said unit as axis, face cutters on said heads, a hydraulic cylinder-and-ram propelling unit inter-connecting said anchorage unit and said frame, laterally movable front and rear steering pressers on said heads, both vof said pressers being at the same side of the machine, namely the side adjacent the new face, hydraulic motors on said heads applied to said front and rear pressers for thrusting said pressers against and withdrawing them from said new face, selectively, and hydraulic control means connected to said units and to said motors to control the operation thereof in order to` advance and steer the machine both of said pressers being available for action in either direction of working of the machine.

5. A mining machine according to claim 4 in which the steering pressers are arms that are pivotally mounted on the leading and trailing heads, respectively, each of said arms having a curved pressure surface, and in which each of said arms is linked to a hydraulic cylinder-andplunger motor unit on the associated head for thrusting out and withdrawing the arm.

6. 'A mining machine according to claim 4 in which each of the steering pressers is a body slidably mounted in the associated cutter head and in which said body is combined with the hydraulic motor unit for thrusting out and withdrawing said body, said motor consisting of a cylinder incorporated in the slidably mounted body, a plunger mating with the cylinder and fixed to said cutter head, and pressure-Huid conduits between said motor and the hydraulic steering means.

7. A mining machine according to claim 4 in which face cutters on each of the cutter heads include one that is laterally adjustable aud adjacent to the associated steering presser, the machine also including an auxiliary device to facilitate the work of steering, said device comprising a hydraulic motor unit connected to said laterally adjustable cutter and under the control of the operator, for adjusting said cutter in relation to the associated presser.

Reference'svcited in thetle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sproul,v Ian. 20, 1953 

